• A federal funding freeze for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) impacted Gaston County organizations. • Gaston Hope in Christ, a tutoring organization, lost half its staff due to the funding pause. • A government shutdown further delayed the release of funds after a lawsuit was filed against the Department of Labor.

This year, 23 children signed up for tutoring with Gaston Hope in Christ, an organization dedicated to mentoring academically at-risk students.

Due to an ongoing freeze on funds for the Senior Community Service Employment Program, only 15 of them were slated to make it into the program.

In July, Gaston Hope in Christ lost three members of its already small team, cutting its capabilities in half, according to program Director Joe Bell.

The cuts at

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